Good News....

Hubby's labs went up enough for him to have treatment today-Hurray!  Thanks for prayers, God is so good! Hugs to everyone!

Our Time VS The Fullness of Time

I love this verse at the left.


This morning I am thinking about how we can spread the Word in OUR time!  We have all this technology at our hand and some of us do nothing.
  We do not have to walk many miles for days on cobblestone roads depending on the kindness of strangers to feed us or have to spend the night in a field beside the road.  Just think for the moment, of the determination and dedication the disciples and the early Christians had to spread the word to all nations, all people.  Are we lazy Christians today?  We have trains, planes, highways and of course the Internet that can take us to any country in the world to share God's word.  Isn't this amazing?
   But you can start small, you don't need any of these things.  Spread the word to your neighbors and don't hit them over the head with a 2 X 4, you can be more effective in your speech and in your setting a good example as a Christian, a follower of Christ, in your actions.  Some people immediately back off when you start talking about the Lord as they feel confronted for whatever reason or some feel it is too late to invite Christ into their hearts and be born again (have a change of heart).  A soft approach is received much more willingly than a fire and brimstone sermon.

  If you have a computer (you do if you are reading this-ha!) you can put in the search line, "How do I share the word with others" and many choices will come up for you to read.
  I always pray, "Lord be a lamp unto my feet and guide my steps" and "Lord, let the joy of my Salvation be in my heart and on my lips".  When you are full of the Lord, you will emanate the light of the Savior from your being and others will sense it, see it and feel it.

Psalms: 119:105  "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path".
Proverbs: 6:23 For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light and the corrections of discipline are the way of life".

Ask yourself how you can spread the word today.  Maybe it is as simple as sending someone a "thinking of you" card or "Just a Note..." with a Bible verse on it.  There are so many wonderful cards out there with these meaningful Bible verses tucked in a corner with a cheerful picture separate from the body of the message on the card.  I know when I receive a card like that I am thrilled and think how good God is as he knows I needed this bit of cheer in my day!

Asking for prayers as my hubby is not doing well, his labs have been such that he could not receive chemo on his Friday visit to the cancer center.  We return today to have the labs checked again.  Thanks for all for you who have been so supportive and faithful in praying for him and for me.

Thank you for coming and do come again soon! Hugs and Love in Christ,

Fullness of Time

   You may have heard that phrase that Christ's coming was in the "fullness of time".  There are many interpretations as to this phrase's true meaning.  The fullness of time refers to the readiness of believers to accept a Savior.  And it also refers to conditions at that particular time in the era such as language and transportation.  You have no doubt heard the phrase, also, that "all roads lead to Rome".  The building of the Appian Way and subsequent connecting roads, made it possible for people to travel far and wide in their world at the time.  The Romans were great road builders and trade and commerce depended on an expedient way to travel. Today I am showing how history coincided with God's intention to present His son at just the right time....

From Wikapedia:  The Appian Way...

Remains of the Appian Way in Rome, near Quarto Miglio

 

The Appian Way (Latin and Italian: Via Appia) was one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic. It connected Rome to Brindisi, Apulia, in southeast Ita

Near Rome.

ly. Its importance is indicated by its common name, recorded by Statius:^[1][2]

Appia teritur regina longarum viarum

"the Appian way is commonly said to be the queen of the long roads"

The road is named after Appius Claudius Caecus, the Roman censor who began and completed the first section as a military road to the south in 312 BC during the Samnite Wars.

And also, Alexander the Great, the conqueror, declared Greek to be the National language.

The New Testament is an anthology, a collection of works written at different times by various authors. In almost all Christian traditions today, the New Testament consists of 27 books. The original texts were written beginning around AD 50 in Koine Greek, the lingua franca of the eastern part of the Roman Empire where they were composed. All of the works which would eventually be incorporated into the New Testament would seem to have been written no later than the mid-2nd century.<sup>[1]

A common language  made it easier to spread the word of the Gospel and the roadways made it easier for the apostles to travel to major cities to spread the word.  So the
1. People were ready (they were anxious for the Savior to come).
2. Conditions were ripe.(the people were oppressed by the Laws of the Old Testament.
3. Travel was easier. (The roads were made to major cities).
4. A common language was spoken (Greek)</sup>

The Lord had previously administered discipline to His creations through banishment (the Loss of Eden), plagues, floods, etc.  When the time was right and in His choosing, the Lord presented us with the perfect lamb, Christ Jesus, His only begotten son, to atone for all of our sins and from that moment on, the only way to eternal life was through His son Jesus.  Jesus died for all of our sins so that nothing would have to be sacrificed again.  In the Old Testament, the sacrificing of lambs was a common practice.  The loss of your eternal soul is truly the ultimate punishment.

The Lord has given us the opportunity to be saved, to be forgiven of our sins no matter how scarlet they may be and He will never think of them again.  The Bible tells us so. All you need do is invite Jesus into your heart and then I always prayed, " Let the joy of my salvation be in my heart and on my lips".  Let the others see Christ in you every day by your actions and by the words that come out of your mouth.

^{Thank you so much for visiting today and I hope you will take away a blessing with you.  Hubby has been having a rough time with the Multiple Myeloma recently and I have not posted as often as I would like.  Thank you for your faithfulness in visiting and  do come back again soon. Hugs and love in the Lord,}

Approaching the Bible...

   When I was a "baby" Christian, I found the Bible very intimidating, not its message but the language.  It is quite formal in some versions and can easily discourage the reader who is overwhelmed with the the thee, thy, thou, etc.  But today we are so blessed to have versions of the Bible that without changing any of the original message, make it quite clear what the Lord would have us do.  Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million as well as the numerable Christian gift and book shops have a variety of Bibles and by looking at them in their introductions you can tell if it is easy to understand and comprehend.  There are large print Bibles that even if your eyesight is not impaired, make it more enjoyable to read passages.  But make sure you open them if in a box as some marked large print are not really that large-ha!

  I also like a soft cover Bible.  It is less cumbersome and rigid.  I like the feel of it in my hand and on my lap.  And if you read in bed like I do, it is so flexible and light in weight, that I can read at some length in comfort.

  There are Bibles in which every word of the Savior is written in Red. This is helpful when you are looking up a certain reference that you need.  If you are a Baby Christian, start with the book of Matthew.  It is a full account of our Lord's life and comprehensive.  Don't burden yourself with starting at the beginning of Genesis as you will quickly be discouraged if you are not already familiar and comfortable with your Bible.  You can always go back.  It is like tracing your own family roots, you go to the beginning to see what your ancestors were like and where they came from.  The Old Testament is like that.  It tells us where our Christianity stems from. 

   Read in small doses so as not to get overwhelmed.  And do not be discouraged when you hear others quoting passages verbatim complete with chapter and verse.  This will come to you as you move up in your comprehension.  The Lord will open your heart and mind to comprehending in your desire to seek His word.

  I still don't understand each and every word completely but that is why it is called the Living Bible, it is pertinent to today just as it was at the time of its beginning and the old saying that there is nothing new under the sun is quite true.  The Bible has illustrations of bad children and teens as well as sinful adults who have committed all the sins that are happening today.  You will find answers to any problem in its midst.  Just open your mind and pray as you open your Bible for understanding and guidance.  You will be surprised at how much you do grasp.

  I have recommended before and still do buying or borrowing "THE BOOK" published by Tyndale publishers.  It is a soft cover comprehensive Bible in simple language and I use it as a cross reference.  It is not meant to replace the Bible, only to help us understand it better.  Mine is dog-eared and taped-ha!  God Bless and happy Bible reading!!

♥KERRIE♥

My Christian heart to yours...